Charging device



Sept. 29, 1931. G. R. WELLS CHARGING DEVICE 5 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Filed July2, 1929 my m M V V T. 2 JM 0 Se t. 29, 1931. G. R. WELLS 1,324,853

EJHARGING DEVICE Filed July 2, 1929 s Sheets$heet 2 Mun- E INVENTOR.6/20 A.

Sept. 29, 1931. G. R. WELLS 1,824,853

I CHARGING DEVICE Filed July 2, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEl lTOR. 6/e/7R We/As.

BY q) 5; A T; URN; Y.

Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GLEN a. WELLS,orron'r WAYNE,- INDIANA, ASSIGNOR s'rnucrrolv COMPANY, A CORPORATION ormnrlmn" cnnneme DEVICE Application filed July 2,

This invention relates to charging machines for gas generators in whichthe weigh hopper is located within the body of the charging device. I

The conventional charging device comprises 7 a double bell arrangementat the top of the generator withsufiicientispace betweenthe two bells toform a magazine for holding enough fuel for one charge. Since the bellsare not moved away from their seats simultaneously the fuel isadln-ittedwithout allowing any gas to escape from the generator.

' Heretofore Weighing devicesfor the charges of fuel, ifused, have beenlocated 7,5 above and outside :the charging device.

lniaccordance with the present invention, the weigh hopper is located inthe magazine spacebetween the two bells and this arrange mentresults ina great reductionof headroom, which reduction is one of the objects ofthe invention.

In the drawings, Figure l isa vertical .cross section of the chargingmachine taken on line II of 235 Fig.2; I

Fig. 2- is a horizontal cross section takenon line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of a part of the apparatustaken-onflineIII-III of so ig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical connections for the Icontrol switches; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a part of the apparatus, takenalong the line VV of Fig. p

The charging machine comprises a hollow body or enclosure 1 providedwith a lower charging bell 2 and a door 3, which is the equivalent ofthe usual upper charging bell. The weigh hopper 4 is located within thebody 1 and. approximately: conforms to the contour of the body.

The charging machine rests'on the gas "7 generator 5 and is ingas-tightcommunication therewith by'means of a packing ring 6. A' handwheel 7, by means of appropriate reduction gearing 8, rotates eccentrics9 within flanged wheels 1O to depress the Wheels to engage the rails 11for elevating 1929. Serial No. 375,533.

TO THE. wns'rnnnens con the entire charging machine, separating packingring 6 from the top of generator '5 and permitting the charging machineto be rolled away from the top of thegenerator.

When the hopper 4 is in its lowermost position, it is supportedby aplurality of pairs of angular'brackets '12 from the interior of thebody 1. At all otherpositionslthe weigh hopper 1 is supported by knifeedges 13 resting on a lever 14 whichis fulcrumed on.

stationary knife edges 15.; The hopper is counterbalanced by a weight 16located at the end of lever 1 s 1 The charging hell 2 is connected bymeans of a rod 29 and a tube 30 to .a piston 18 mounted by reciprocalmovement in a vertical hydraulic cylinder 17 located centrally withrespect to the body 1 and within .a'reentrant portion of the hopper 4.The hy-.

draulic cylinder 17 is provided with hydrau- 7 lie pressure andreliefconduits-551and 56 at the upper and lower extremities thereof,respectively. 7

o In the position illustrated in Fig. 1 the conduit 56 is assumed-Ito bein communication with a source-of fluid under pressure, and the conduitis'in communication with a zone of lower pressure, so that the hell 2 isheld in its uppermost position. w

Reversal of he pressure conditions in the conduits 55 and 56 causesthepiston 18, the.

means of a clamp. 23 to a lever 24 which in turn acts throughaverticalrod 25 to actuate a forked lever 26. The ends of the lever 26'opposite to the end engaged bythe rod 25 are fastened bymeans of pins 28toa pair ofgates 27. Hence, in the last few inches of downward travel ofthe bell 2, the depression of the nut 20 causes the gates-27 can depositfuel' th'roughthe 1 opening of" door 3 into the hopper l and'toaheight'indicated at 38 without interfering withsthe.

closing of the door 3.

When the hopper 4t is:- fully charged :with fuel, the end of the leverlet bearing the weight lfi i-rises and by means of avertical link &0tilts -lever 4:1 and a a mercury. container =42mountedthereon toopen'zthe cir as shown: in Fig; 5.

cuit through a switch 13.

When the door issclosed bymeansof the cylinder 32 asmall armwlo attachedto. the shaft-on which arm-. 31 and door 31 aremounted tiltsa lever/e6and also a mercury container -17 mounted-thereon; to break the electriccircuit through switclr4z8;

Their-theweigh hopper 4t is emptied of fuelthereby lowering weightlGand! clos= ing switch. 43, and \VhGIlAC Yli'lTdGI- 32 opens the...,.door thereby closing the circuit through switch 48, circuit 49,shown in Fig; 1, is closedibetween two wires of'the three wire: system.50, thereby: energizing solenoid 5 15' Movement-oflthe armatu-re withinsolenoid 51'. closes switclrs 52 to supply current:

from the three wire system 50. to the motor 53, which is connectedthrough suitable 1 gear ingwto the endless belt 1 conveyor 36,- shown inFig. 1, which recharges the weigh-hopper;

Powerr to actuate: the! pistonin cylinder 17-.is suppliedzthroughpipes-55-and 56 lead-. in-gfrom thestop andbottom;..of' the cylindertofan' automatic hydraulic. control device, not shown: Likewise,power-is supplied to cyle inder 32 by pipes 57 and"58connected'to theSZLIDGi automatic hydraulic control device.

, .Theoperation'ofrthe ch'arging machi ne -1s as follows 1 r 7 Startingwith the door: 31 in closedlposie tionsand theweigh hopperi l filledwith: fuel, the automatic control device, at. an. appropriate time. inth'ecycle of the gas generator exerts fluid pressure. through the pipe552to cause the pistonrxlS-to descend and thereby lower the bell 2.:andthen open. the gates 27 This causes the entire charge in. the:weighhopper 1 to flow through: gates 27, strike. the inclined surface ofthe bellQ in its lower position and-scatter I over-fichesurfaceotlthefuelzbed' in thebody oi the: generator, 5. V

. The. automatic'hydraulic control. device then exerts; fluid pressure.through ;the pipe 56,*restoring bell 2.:and gates--27,-to closedpositiom and: in the -meantime-.weight? 16 has: descended. toclose,switch 13, This would tend to energize solenoid 51 and start motor 53were it not that door 3 is closed and switch etS'is open.

After the bell 2 and gates 27 are closed, the automatic hydrauliccontrol device exertsfluid pressure'through pipe 57 to hydrauliccylinder32, opening upperdoor 3 and thereby closing switch 48. Sinceswitch 41-3 is already closed, solenoid 51 is energized and" switch 52is closed for starting the motor 53 to actuateendless belt 36.

- Movement of the endless belt 36 continues until 'sufii'cient fuel hasdropped through the openingzgoit. door 3 into the hopper 4: tooverbalance'weight 16, thereby raising the end of lever 14 and openingswitch 5L3 which stops the motor 53, leaving "the-.requirediorpredetermined weight of fueliidepositedin weigh hopper 4. Later,theuautomati'cwcona troldevice sends fluidathroughpipe. 58 to close door3 and when, during th'e nexticycle of: the gas: generator-beingsupplied, the automatic control sends: fluid 3 through. the

pipe 55to. start the'descent of'piston 18,.the

above outlined; cycle of operation. of-i'the. charging machineisrepeatedf. v

The .placingof. the; weiglr. hopper within thcbody of the charging:m'achine' andlbetween the upper and lower chargingbells and. thelocation. Ofi the hydraulic? cylinder.

that actuates the. lower 2 bell within :the body of "the machinereduces-the:headroom' re: quired for the charging machinei to 'oneehalforone third of' that previously-required;

This permits a charging machine embodying. i

the present invention to bee.used.= in; plants where the location ofthe-conventional type of charging machinewould zb'e impossible.Otheradvantages necessarily? follow from:

building the machine thus compactly 'ine.

stead? of spreadingthe: parts. over: considerable space. a

The gates at the-bottom. of the weiglrhoppersretard: the fuelvuntilthelowerzbell has fully descended so that the fuel strikesqthe bell withconsiderable' force, herebyspreventing thefuel from. piling: up: in thecenter of the generator. Icclaimasmyinvention: r

1; Fuel-charging apparatus for' a. gas

generator which comprises, in combination, an enclosure. adapted to bepositioned :over the charging opening of the gas generator, a chargingvalve-'locatedfiinsaidenclosure and serving as the charging door-of saidgenerator, an inlet door in said enclosure, a weigh hoppersuspendedwithin sald' en:-.

closure beneath said charging opening,

means for delivering fuel through said inlet doorato saidaveigli hopper,said means being: .responsive to, the L position of 'saidrinlet door andthe weight. of said weigh hop,- perg andits contents, wherebyfuellisdelivered to said weigh hopper whensaid'inlet 1 door is open. andsaid weighhopper contains less than a predetermined quantity of fuel.

2. Fuel-charging apparatus for a gas generator which comprises,incombination, an enclosure adapted to be positioned over the chargingopening of the gas generator, a charging valve located in said enclosureand serving as the charging door of said generator, an inlet door insaid enclosure,a weigh hopper suspended within said enclosure beneathsaid charging opening, means for delivering fuel through said inlet doorto'said weigh hopper, said means being responsive to the position ofsaid inlet door and the weight of said weigh hopper and its contents,whereby fuel is delivered to said weigh hopper when said inlet door isopen and said weigh hopper contains less than a predetermined quantityof fuel, and a door located in the lower portion of said weigh hopperfor releasing the contents of said weigh hopper into said generator.

3. Fuel-charging apparatus for a gas generator which comprises, incombination, an enclosure adapted to'be positioned over the chargingopening of the gas generator, a charging valve located in said enclosureand serving as the charging door of said generator,an inlet door in saidenclosure,a

weigh hopper suspended within said enclosure beneath said chargingopening, means for delivering fuel through said inlet door to said weighhopper, said means being re-rr sponsive to the position of said inletdoor and the weight of said weighhopperand its contents, whereby fuel isdelivered to said weigh hopper when said inlet door is open and saidweigh hopper contains less than a predetermined quantity of fuel, and adoor located in the lower portion of said weigh hopper that is actuatedby said charging valve, whereby the contents of said weigh hopper arereleased into said generator when said charging valve is opened.

4. Fuel-charging apparatus for a gas generator which comprises, incombination, an enclosure adapted to be positioned over the chargingopening of the gas generator, a charging valve located in said enclosureand serving as the charging door of said generator, an'inlet door insaid enclosure, a weigh hopper suspended within said enclosure beneathsaid charging opening, said weigh hopper having a reentrant portionforming a recess located above said charging valve, and motive means forsaid charging valve located in said recess.

5. Fuel-charging apparatus for a gas gen erator which comprises, incombination, an enclosure adapted to be positioned over the chargingopening of the'gas generator, a charging valve located in said enclosureand serving as the charging door of said generator, an inlet door insaid enclosure, a weigh hopper suspended within said enclosure be neathsaid charging opening, said weigh hopper having a reentrant portionforming a recess located above said charging valve, motive means forsaid charging valve located'in said recess, and a fuel-discharging doorlocated in said reentrant portion of said Weigh hopper and actuated bysaid charging valve.

6. Fuel-charging apparatus for a gas gen erator which comprises, incombination, an

enclosure adapted to be positioned over the charging opening of the gasgenerator, a charging valve located in said enclosure and servmg as thecharging door of said generator, an inlet door in said enclosure, aweigh hopper suspended within said enclosure beneath said chargingopening, means actuated by. an electric motor for delivering fuelthrough said inlet door to said weigh hopper, a switch located in theelectrical circuit of said motor and actuated by said inlet door and asecond switch located in series with said other switch and said motorand actuated by said weigh hopper whereby said is open and said weighhopper contains less I than a predetermined amount of fuel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th dayof June,

" GLEN R. WELLS,

